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mammal.

, L. A. WOOD.

ORGAN REED. No. 373,118. Patented Nov. 15, 1887.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LUCIUS A. WOOD, OF NEl/V BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR ONE-HALF TO THE BRAND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME'PLACE.

ORGAN-REED.

4 SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 373,118, dated November 15, 1887.

' Application filed December 28, 1886. Serial No. 222,756. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LUOI'US A. WOOD, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Britain, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Organ-Reeds, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in reeds for musical instruments; and the object of my improvement is to facilitate the attachment of the tongue to the reed-plate, and also to produce a more durable and effieient reed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is an elevation of one sideof my organreed. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same on line as a: of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detached perspective view of one of the tongues of said reed; and Figs. 4, 5, and 6 show metal plates of different forms from which to cut said tongues.

Vhile my invention is primarily intended for organ-reeds, it is applicable to reeds of like character for use in other musical instruments.

A designates the reed-plate, which in its general form may be of any ordinary construction. At one end of said plate I form a perforation, a, which is preferably of a rectangular form. I form the tongue b with a corresponding projection, c, on one side at the heel end and integral with said tongue. The best way for forming this tongue is to first make a plate of rolled metal wide enough for forming two series of tongues, and with a central rib of greater thickness than the rest of the plate, as shown in Fig. 4, and then punch, out, or shear the tongues from said plate, which plate is as wide or wider than the length of two tongues.

Fig. 5 shows another form of plate wide enough for two series of tongues; but instead of a central rib there is a thick portion running along the middle of the plate, while the thinner portions at each side thereof are in different planes.

In Fig. 6 there. is a rib on each edge of the plate for forming the thicker part of the tongues, while the thinner portions for both series of tongues are in the middle of the plate.

Instead of a plate wide enough for two series of tongues, a plate wide enough for only one series might be used, such as would result from dividing longitudinally either of the plates herein shown. These plates are only shown in order to show the best way known at present for producing the tongues; but other ways may be employed involving other forms of plates wide enough for one or more series of tongues. In all cases, however, the tongue has a thickened portion,which forms the projection upon one of its broad sides.

Having produced separately such a reedplate and tongue, the projection on the tongue is driven into the perforation in the reed-plate and then subjected to powerful pressure by means of dies, so as to spread out or enlarge the projection sufficiently to bind it firmly within the reed-plate. The tongue may then be milled off on one side at any desired portion of its length for tuning. A portion of the tongue so milled 01'1" is represented in Fig. 2.

I am aware that a prior patent shows an organ-reed consisting of a slotted or notched reed-plate and a tongue made of a piece of sheet metal of uniform thickness and having ears or projections at its thin edges bent up and secured within the slots or notches of the reed-plate, and I hereby disclaim the same. By forming the projection of a thickened portion-of the tongue instead of a bent portion, it projects from the broad side of the tongue instead of from its edge, and may be made of a greater thickness than the thickness of the rest of the tongue. Furthermore, all liability of breakage attendant on bending is avoided.

By my improvement the reed may be produced as cheap or cheaper than the riveted ones, and at the same time they are more firmly held in place, with less liability to rattle. The heel of the tongue does not require to be made wider than the body, but may be made the same width as the body of the tongue, even in the smallest reeds. In milling the tongues for tuning the tongue may, if desired, be milled off to the extreme end of its heel, as shown in Fig. 2, without in the least affecting the rigidity by which the tongue is secured within the reed-plate;

. I claim as my invention- The herein-described reed for musical instruments, consisting of the reed-plate having the perforation a, and the tongue thickened, as described, to form the projection 0 upon one broad side at its heel end, and compressed firmly Within said perforation, substantially '10 as described, and for the purpose specified.

LUOIUS A. WOOD.

Witnesses:

J AMES SHEPARD, JOHN EDWARDS, Jr. 

